Car Sickness Any Ideas?

[Tia]

Hi,

Sorry I did a quick title check and couldn't find a matching thread. Honey's 10 and a half weeks and hopefully she'll out grow this but atm even with the stemetil the vet prescribed she still throws up if she's in the car more then 30 minutes.

I'm hoping for some other ideas to help her especially in case she doesn't grow out (which is why I'm putting the topic in general rather than puppy)of it as I'd like her to travel in the car a lot.

Any advice would be great, thanks.

[mixeduppup]

I find that leaving their tummies empty for at least 4 hours before they hop in the car. Also I crate (the covered in type as car sickness is also too much visual stimulation and the brain can't process it all, tat's why both us and dogs are less likely to get car sick at night) one of mine in the back seat on the side, for some reason he's less likely to get sick there, also having the heater turned up too high can trigger nausea. The worst place for a car sick pup to ride is in the middle of the back seat I've found. Hope that helps.

[Rozzie]

http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/238539-car-sickness/page__p__5864262__hl__%2Bcar+%2Bsick__fromsearch__1#entry5864262

Health forum

[Gspsplease]

Sometimes the problem can be that the dog associates car trips to the vet causing anxiety, or to a park, causing excitement. Can you put the dog into the car and just drive around the block 2-3 times a day, so that nothing happens after this short car trip? This should gradually desensitize the dog to car motion. Also try tethering the dog on the floor in the front passenger side, so it cannot see outside the window, and it should settle quickly.

[Showpony]

Hi,

Put pup in the car and go nowhere, give it a treat, do this a few times........short trips with a empty stomach........and what I've done with my new pup, who is VERY food driven, I put him in hin crate in the car with a large bone, which keeps him busy for at least 20mins, so I can get to Erskine Park and Castle Hill with no vomitting

Edited July 11, 2012 by Showpony

[TigerJack]

my experience with a smaller breed with constant nausea in the car is opposite to what others have posted. When she could not see out the window she constantly got ill. When I raised her up in a booster seat so she could see, no more vomitting. Guess each dog is different.

[Cavstar]

Is she a golden retriever? My friend has a goldie who gets car sick too. She just doesn't give him any food at least 2 hours before traveling

I wonder if it's a breed thing?

[Alyosha]

Vitamin B6, and vitamin B complex as well. They can be given a couple of hours before a trip. If a long trip try the day before as well, and some vitamin C as well as stress can put pressure on the immune system and Vit C will give it a bit of a boost.

[westiemum]

my experience with a smaller breed with constant nausea in the car is opposite to what others have posted. When she could not see out the window she constantly got ill. When I raised her up in a booster seat so she could see, no more vomitting. Guess each dog is different.

Yep same here - helped my westie girl to be on a booster foam cushion so she could see out. I also desensitized her to the car - see my post in the other thread - it works :)

[Salukifan]

Let's start with the obvious:

SLOW DOWN! I've seen a few folk who complain their dogs get car sick drive like bats out of hell. Make it slow and steady until the pup get used to it. Take your corners steadily.

Travel the pup between the wheels of the car and as low as possible. Rear seat footwells can often be good.

Do lots of small, quick trips to fun places. If the car is seen as a fun place to be, then anxiety aspects can be eliminated.

Don't feed before a trip.

Try some rescue remedy and a ginger nut biscuit or two. Can't hurt, might help.

Travel the pup on a towel or two - helps contain the mess.

Edited July 12, 2012 by Haredown Whippets

[Tia]

Thanks everyone, also I have to read the link Rozzie, I typed in car sick which is why it didn't come up for me.

Honey is a golden and my last golden use to prefer lying on the floor of the car. I did have a doubled up sheet on the back seat the other day luckily when she was really ill.

Tonight we went to puppy school 30mins away. I didn't feed her for 4hrs before hand, had my son sit in the middle back and placed her to his side with the window open a few inches. I also gave her a small rawhide and we made it there and back home with no problems.

She does seem a bit anxious about getting in the car but I think it stems from her having felt ill each time she goes in it. It's only been a week since her 2nd needle so I'm only meant to walk her on the road for now. I can't wait to drive her to a close by bush walking track and start that daily but the vet advised waiting till after she has her 3rd needle.

I'll start trying to take her for little drives around the neighbourhood with treats waiting in the car. It still mightn't cover real car sickness on longer trips though, which is probably confusing for a little pup.